States » SouthPosted at: Sep 19 2026 5:20PM


AP CM directs officials to declare ‘Drought Affected Mandals’ on October 1

Vijayawada, Sep 19 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the officials concerned to declare ‘drought affected’ mandals on October 1.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with the officials in his camp office at Undavalli near here on Saturday and reviewed the drought situation prevailing in the State due to scant rainfall.

He told the officials to assess the drought situation scientifically and declare drought hit mandals on October 1.
He also directed the officials to take measures in advance to ensure that farmers would not incur crop loss at any place due to continued dry spell. He told the officials to send a report on the dry spell to the Centre every month.

The officials explained to the Chief Minister that they had to take reports from the six departments and had to examine the satellite data to assess rainfall shortage, cultivation of crops, underground water resources, moisture and water impounded in the reservoirs.

“As per the preliminary estimation, drought prevailed in 513 mandals in 28 districts. The drought situation is severe in 268 mandals and the drought situation is moderate in 245 mandals. The agriculture department will take up ground level assessment,” the officials apprised to the Chief Minister.

The officials said that teams under the guidance of district Collector would visit the agriculture fields to assess the crop loss and later submit a report. The proposals on the drought should be submitted to the revenue and disaster management departments by the Collector. The officials also explained about the El Nino impact on the State.

The Chief Minister said: “So far Rs 190 crore has been allocated to save the horticulture crops. Crops under 1,357 Rythu Seva Kendras in 21 districts are in the ‘high risk’ zone. Horticulture crops in 17,916 hectares including orange, mango, chilli and onion are facing El Nino impact.”

Naidu emphasized the need of giving importance to Micro Irrigation to save horticulture crops using less water. Under the AP Micro Irrigation Project, four vital services were made available to the farmers through ‘Mana Mitra Whatsapp Governance’ he highlighted.

The Chief Minister underlined the need of providing drinking water and directed to take steps to ensure that there would be no shortage for potable water anywhere. If needed, supply potable water through tankers wherever water scarcity prevails, he told the officials.

He instructed the officials to prepare an action place to ensure that Visakhapatnam would not face a potable water crisis.
He asked officials to consider all possible measures to fill up the reservoirs on war footing located around Visakhapatnam. The officials informed the Chief Minister that the existing water would last for two months in Visakhapatnam.
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Tags: #AP CM directs officials to declare ‘Drought Affected Mandals’ on October 1
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